Reflections

It's one thing to dream about taking a vacation. It is another to plan and organize one. This is especially true when you are balancing the needs and interests of very different people in your family.

I have four children, two girls and two boys, who are all teenagers now. When I put itineraries together for our family, I have to find a way to appeal to both the girls and the boys. I have to figure out whether an adventure that I would like to take is too much for my youngest, or too boring for the oldest. In addition, I need to determine whether a cultural or historical tour will cover too much, take us to one too many churches or museums, or will be just enough.

All of these considerations are a part of every itinerary that I am involved in creating. I have spent years learning about what works for my children and what doesn't. However, after every trip we take, there are always itineraries that worked better than others, or tours and adventures that satisfied everyone better than another.

On this page and in the following blogs, I reflect on how successful our trips were. I provide insights into what I would do differently or how happy I was in what we did do. If we stayed at a particularly great hotel, or ate at an exceptional restaurant, those will be mentioned as well. Of course, regrets will be set out, although I hope those are few and far between!